Flat bed material transporting vehicle

ABSTRACT

Flat bed transporting vehicle for containers, farm and road machinery and other vehicles and lading, having a series of anchor channels extending along the vehicle for the length of the vehicle and unitized with the frame structure of the vehicle to form a unitary part of the chassis frame supporting beams, in which couplers for containers or tie-downs for anchor chains or tie-downs winches may be locked in a selected position in the channels and stored in the channels when not in use. Where the vehicle is used for transporting containers, the couplers are positionable above the level of the channels and bed of the vehicle, to couple adjacent ends of containers to the bed of the vehicle, and are locked in extended positions by retaining sockets at the corners of the containers and are released to be retracted beneath the tops of the channels for storage or adjustment along the channels upon removal of the containers from the couplers.

United States Patent [1 1 Pratt [451 Aug. 21, 1973 Related US.Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 874,105, Nov. 5, 1969,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 296/35 A, 105/366 B, 105/366 C,

248/361 [51] Int. Cl 1360p l/64, B65j H22 [58] Field of Search 296/35 A;105/366 R,

105/366 C, 366 D, 366 B, 367, 368 R, 368 T, 369 A; 280/DIG. 8; 220/234;248/361, 119;

12/1968 Pulcrano et a1 105/366 D 5/1969 Rutkoski 105/368 T PrimaryExaminer-Benjamin Hersh Assistant Emmt'ner- -J ohn Pekar;

A trorney-Benjamin H. Sherman, Donald J. Simpson et a1.

[5 7 ABSTRACT Flat bed transporting vehicle for containers, farm androad machinery and other vehicles and lading, having a series of anchorchannels extending along the vehicle for the length of the vehicle andunitized with the frame structure of the vehicle to form a unitary partof the chassis frame supporting beams, in which couplers for containersor tie-downs for anchor chains or tie-downs winches may be locked in aselected position in the channels and stored in the channels when not inuse. Where the vehicle is used for transporting containers, the couplersare positionable above the level of the channels and bed of the vehicle,to couple adjacent ends of containers to the bed of the vehicle, and arelocked in extended positions by retaining sockets at the comers of thecontainers and are released to be retracted beneath the tops of thechannels for storage or adjustment along the channels upon removal ofthe containers from the couplers.

11 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3,753,591

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VENTOR.

faefiilf ra m' ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 21, 1973 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I NVENTOR.

W'TTORNEYS Patented Aug. 21, 1973 5 Sheets-Sheet a 1N VENTOR.

J Eaarflfra WVUm my a WET/01min This application is a continuation of myapplication Ser. No. 874,105, filed Nov. 5, 1969, and now abandoned.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION Improved form of flat bed transportingvehicle in the form of a trailer or railway car, in which anchoringchannels extend for substantially the length of the vehicle and areadpated to lock chain anchors or winches or couplers for containers inposition on the deck of the vehicle, and are an integral part of thechassis frame supporting members, and provide an even distribution ofthe dynamic and static bending loads of the chassis supporting membersof the vehicle and also provide a continuous load securement system forthe length of the vehicle.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvedform of flat bed trailer and the like, in which anchoring channelsextend for the length of the trailer and open at floor level and form anintegral part of the chassis frame supporting members.

Another object of the invention is to provide a more rugged flat bedtrailer than formerly in which anchoring channels form a continuous loadsecurement system for the length of the trailer, and are unitized withthe frame supporting members of the trailer to cooperate therewith andmore evenly distribute the bending loads on the trailer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flat bed trailer andthe like in which couplers or tie-downs may be adjustably moved alonganchor channels opening on a level with the floor of the vehicle and arecarried by the anchor channels for adjustable movement therealong andare held in fixed relation relative to the channels as extended abovethe deck of the vehicle into coupling or tie-down positions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple andimproved form of flat bed trailer having container couplers guided for.movement along the vehicle for the length thereof, to be positioned atselective positions along the length of the vehicle depending upon thelength of the container to be coupled, and in which the supporting andguide means for the couplers form an integral part of the framesupporting members of the vehicle chassis.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flat bed trailer inwhich the container couplers are adapted to couple a pair of containersto the deck of the trailer in end-to-end relation relative to each otherand are locked in operative extended positions relative to the deck ofthe vehicle by the containers as coupled thereto, and can readilybemoved to inoperable retracted positions beneaththe deck of the traileras the containers are removed therefrom, to accommodate the trailer tocarry heavy machinery or other lading, in which the guide and retainingmembers for the couplers also serve as storage area for tie-down chainsand anchor assemblies beneath the deck of the vehicle.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the following description of certain preferred embodimentsthereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, althoughvariations and modifications may be effected without departing from thespirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a flatbed trailer constructed in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention showing the trailer with two containers coupled thereto inend-to-end relation, with certain parts broken away in order to show theend locking means for the containers.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the front end portion of thetrailer shown in FIG. I, with certain parts broken away and certainother parts shown in section, in order to illustrate certain details ofthe present inventon.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the front end portion ofthe vehicle frame, showing a container lock at the front of the frame,and a kingpin depending from the frame.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the vehicle shown in FIGS. 1and 2 taken through the spring suspension end of the vehicle.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail partial fragmentary plan view illustratingcertain details of an anchor channel and stake pocket opening.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of vehicle,showing four anchor channels extending for the length of the vehicle andforming an integral part of the chassis frame supporting members.

FIG. 7 is a partial fragmentary top plan view of one of the side railsof the vehicle, showing a container coupler extending from one of theanchor channels of the vehicle, and showing the anchor channel for thecoupler in broken lines.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a part of an anchorchannel in longitudinal section, and showing a container coupler inextended relation relative to the channel, and having couplingengagement with two containers in end-to-end relation with respect toeach other.

FIG. 9 is a view somewhat similar to FIG. 8 but showing the containercoupler retracted in the anchor channel beneath the deck of the vehicle.

FIG. 10 is an end view of the container coupler in its extendedposition; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken through thecoupler, substantially along line XIXI of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 ofthe drawings, I have shown a flat bed trailer including an elongatedchassis frame 10 supported on rear wheels 11 and axles 12. The chassisframe 10 includes parallel spaced main side frame members 13, 13 spacedapart by cross members 15, forming the center sill of the chassis, andouter side rails l6, l6 spaced outwardly of the main side frame membersby parallel spaced cross frame members 17, 17.

The main frame 10 has a kingpin assembly 19, adjacent the forward endthereof, to be supported on the fifth wheel of a tractor (not shown)when hauling a trailer from place to place, or to be supported on afifth wheel support on a flat car, when it is desired to transport theentire trailer on a railway flat car. A retractable stand and wheelassembly 20 is disposed adjacent the forward end of the main frame 10for supporting the main chassis frame in a position generally parallelwith the ground, for the loading of containers l8 thereon.

The main frame also has a front stationary beam 21 in the form of abolster extending across the front of the frame and having containerlocks 22 having generally conical locking heads for engagement withincorner fitting sockets (not shown) in the corners of a container 18 forlocking the container to a flat bed or floor 23 of the trailer.

A rear bolster 24 (FIG. 1) extends across the rear end of the chassisframe transversely of and along the tops of the main side frame members13, and has container locks 25 extending upwardly therefrom like thecontainer locks 22. The container locks 22 and 25 may be of aconventional form and are turnable by a handle from beneath the floor ofthe trailer to be moved into locked or released positions to retain thecontainer to the floor of the trailer. The locks 22 and 25 may also beretracted downwardly beneath floor level in a suitable manner, to befree from the floor of the trailer when desired. Said container locksform no part of the present invention except insofar as they lock theopposite corners of a container or containers to the floor of thetrailer so need not herein be shown or described further.

The side rails or sills 16 are in the form of anchor channels 26, 26extending for the length thereof and having rub plates 28 extendingalong the outer sides thereof and downwardly therefrom beneath the lowerflanges of the cross frame members 17 and welded or otherwise securedthereto. The bottoms of theanchor channels 26 may also be welded orotherwise secured to the top flanges of the cross frame members 17 tocooperate with said cross frame members and rub rails, to provide aunitized anchor channel and side rail assembly for the trailer and toform a part of the supporting framework and bracing structure for thetrailer.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the anchor channels 26 have inwardlyfacing retainer flanges at floor level having uniformly spaced lockingnotches 29 formed therein and extending for the length thereof. Thechannels 26 have a series of spaced stake pocket openings 30 leadingthrough the webs thereof and spaced therealong at intervals, todetachably receive stakes 31 where it is desired to use the trailer as astake trailer to transport certain loads. The stake pocket openings areplaced to one side of the cross frame members 17 and may be closed bysuitable closure members 32, generally U-shaped in form and extendingabout said openings to aid in retaining the stakes in position in saidstake pocket openings.

The main side frame members 13, 13 are shown in the cross sectional viewin FIG. 4 as being in the form of inverted L-beams having bottom flanges33, which may be mounted on the spring seats for the trailer in anysuitable manner. The flanges 33 have upright webs 35 extending upwardlytherefrom to the level of the floor 23 and then turning inwardly atright angles to form a part of the composite floor of the vehicle asindicated by reference character 36. The inner end portions of the floorportions 36 of the beams or main side frame members 13 are downwardlyturned, as indicated by reference character 37, and are welded orotherwise secured to opposite sides of a central anchor channel 39,extending for the length of the vehicle frame. The down-turned portionsor flanges 37 are Welded or otherwise secured to the opposite legs ofthe anchor channel 39 to form a composite beam and floor structureextending along the center of the trailer. The base of the channel 39 issupported on the top of the cross frame members 15 and may be weldedthereto. Reinforcing channels 40 extend along the bottom of the floorportions 36 of the main side frame members 13 and are supported on thecross frame members 15 on their webs and have upright legs welded orotherwise secured to the bottoms of the inwardly extending floorportions 36 of the main side frame members 13.

The anchor channel 39 and main side frame members 13 spaced apart by thecross frame members 15 and reinforced by the channels 40, 40 supportedon said cross frame members 15 are thus an integral part of the centersill of the chassis and provide an even distribution of the dynamic andstatic bending loads to the chassis supporting structure, and provide aunitized anchor channel and center sill for the trailer chassiscooperating with the unitized side rails formed by the anchor channels26 and rub or side rails 16 spaced from the main side frame members 13by the cross frame members 17 and supported thereon.

The anchor channel 39 has facing flanges 41 having inwardly openingnotches 42 therein uniformly spaced throughout the length of saidchannels and affording a means for releasably locking a tie-down winch(not shown) or other chain locking device or coupler in position on thefloor of the trailer, as will hereinafter more clearly appear as thisspecification proceeds.

FIG. 6 of the drawings shows a modified form of my invention in whichfour anchor channels extend the length of the vehicle. In this form ofthe invention anchor channels 44 replace the top flanges of I-beams 45forming the main side frame members of the center sill of the trailer,and form an integral part of said main side frame members. The trailerconstruction is otherwise similar to that of FIGS. 1 to 4, so a detaileddescription of the trailer need not be repeated and the same partnumbers will be applied to the same parts as were applied in FIGS. 1, 2and 4. In this form of trailer, the two inner anchor channels are anintegral part of the chassis frame and center sill and the two outeranchor channels 26 together with the side rails 16 replace the rub railsof a standard trailer and are an integral part of the chassis frame.

It should here be understood that the containers 18 are lifted fromstorage or from another container transporting device and lowered ontothe flat deck of the transporting vehicle by the forks of a tong-typelifting apparatus or by a derrick and harness or like apparatus and arelocated on the vehicle as lowered to be supported on the vehicle in aconventional manner, as shown and described in US. Pat. No. 2,812,974which issued to H. J. McI-Iugh on Nov. 12, 1957 and in US. Pat. No.3,0l4,604 which issued to J. E. Loomis on Dec. 26, I961. The lifting andlowering mechanism, therefore, is conventional and no part of thepresent invention so need not herein be shown or described further.

In FIG. 1 of the drawings, two containers 18 are shown as supported onthe floor of the trailer and in the outer channels 26 coupled inend-to-end relation with respect thereto by couplers 43. The containers18 are locked at their corners opposite the couplers 43 by the locks 22and 25 engaging corner fitting sockets at the corners of the containers.The corner fitting sockets are designated by reference numeral 48 inFIG. 8 and sockets like the sockets shown in cross section in FIG. 8 areprovided at each corner of the container. Each socket 48 includes abottom wall 49 having an opening 50 therein, generally conforming to thebase of an upstanding guide and retainer 51 extending upwardly of a base52 of the container coupler 43. The fittings or sockets 48 also have afront wall 53 and an inwardly spaced inner wall 54.

An opening 55 opens through the front wall 53 of each comer fitting andhas a bottom surface 56 forming a strike surface, engaged by thedownwardly facing face of a latch 57 transversely pivoted at its lowerend to the base 52 for the coupling member on' a transverse pivot pin59. The next adjacent socket 48 on the end of the next adjacentcontainer is formed exactly like the socket just described so the samereference numerals will be applied to each socket and a description ofthe socket need not be repeated.

The bottom wall or strike surface 56 of the next adjacent socket isengaged by the downwardly facing latch surface of a latch 57, facingoppositely from the first mentioned latch, as the container is loweredonto the flat deck of the trailer, and guided into place by theupstanding guide and retainer 51. A spring 60 is disposed between spacerwalls 61 extending upwardly of the base or main frame 49 along oppositesides of the latches 57, and is seated at its opposite ends withinrecessed portions 63 in the inner faces of the latches 57. Said springbiases the latches outwardly relative to the spacer walls 61, 61 intolatching positions, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and accommodates releaseof the latches by upward lifting movement of the container. The latches57, 57 extend downwardly beneath flanges 65, 65 extending laterally ofand along opposite sides of the base 49 in an open portion 66 of saidbase. The open portion 66 is centrally located relative to said base andthe latches 57, 57 and the front and rear walls of said open portionlimit outward movement of said latches relative to the guide and spacerwalls 61, to accommodate containers to be lowered along opposite sidesof the spacer walls 61, 61, with the openings 50, 50 in the bottom ofthe container, registering with the guides 51, 51 and guided in positionby the guides 51, 51, to cam the latches 57, 57 inwardly and thenaccommodate said latches to come into engagement with the strikesurfaces 56, 56 by the bias of the spring 60, and retain the containersin coupled relation relative to each other on the flat deck of thetrailer. The flanges 65 have upwardly extending lugs 67 spacedtherealong for engagement with the notches 29 in the facing flanges ofthe anchor channels 26, 26.

The container coupler is supported in its operative extended position,to extend above the top of the anchor channel 26 on collapsible legs 69,pivoted to the base 52 adjacent opposite ends thereof on paralleltransverse pivot pins 70. The collapsible legs 69 have projecting endportions 71 extending beyond opposite ends of the base 52 when thecontainer coupler is in its retracted position (FIG. 9), and fittingwithin recesses 72 formed in the guides and retainers 51, and generallyconforming to the form thereof when the legs 69 are in their uprightcoupler supporting positions shown in FIG. 8. When in this position,inner walls 74 of the sockets 50 of the adjacent corner fittings 48,hold the legs 69 in their upright positions, and thereby maintain thelegs 69 in position to hold the lugs 67 into locking engagement with theanchor channel notches 29 and prevent release of the container coupleras long as the container is coupled thereto. As the containers areremoved from the couplers, and it is desired to retract the couplers toaccommodate the loading of other material on the trailer or to store thecouplers in the anchor channels 26, it is merely necessary to strike thelegs 69 inwardly by the blow of a hammer. The coupler will then collapsebelow floor level.

When it is desired to remove the containers 18 from the trailer, it ismerely necessary to first release the locks 22 and 25 and thenindividually lift the containers from the trailer by the forks of a forklift or by any other lifting device, to accommodate the strike surfaces56 to cam the latches 57 against the springs into released positions.The containers can then be freely lifted from the deck of the trailer.

The release of the latch 57 against the force of the spring 60, uponupward lifting movement of the container is attained by the liftingforce exerted by the strike surface 56 on the downwardly facing latchsurface of the latch 57 located in inwardly spaced relation with respectto the axis of the pivot pin 59. The lever arm between the axis of thepivot pin 59 and the line of engagement of the strike surface 56 withthe downwardly facing latching surface of the latch 57 is, therefore,such that as the lifting force on the container and strike surface 56becomes greater than the force of the spring 60, the latch 57, which isshown as the left hand latch in FIGS. 8 and 9 will pivot in a clockwisedirection by the camming action of the strike surface on the latch/Theright hand latch, of course, will pivot in a counterclockwise direction.

It should here be understood that the downwardly facing latchingsurfaces of the latches 57 are flat, to firmly engage the strikesurfaces 56 and retain the container to the vehicle duringtransportation of the container, and only tilt when the upward liftingforce exerted by the strike surfaces 56 overcomes the force of thespring 60.

While only two containers 18 are shown as coupled to the floor of thetrailer, it should be understood that additional couplers 43 may beprovided in the anchor channels where necessary and accommodate four tenfoot containers and two ten foot containers to be cou pled to the deckof the trailer. Where only one container is coupled to the flat deck ofthe trailer, the couplers 43 are stored by collapsing the legs 69 withthe blow of a hammer or other tool, to retract the legs about the pivotpins 70, and accommodate the coupler to drop to the base of the channel.

It should be understood that while a trailer is shown in the drawingsand the description is directed to the trailer shown, that theprinciples of the present invention may be applied as well to a railwayflat car or to any other material transporting device requiring ananchoring means for a load.

It should further be understood that while the trailer has beendescribed herein for coupling containers to its flat deck and thecouplers 43 are shown, which may be stored beneath the deck in theanchor channels when not in use, that the anchor channels may be used asanchoring members for tie-down winches or other tiedown devices andprovide a storage area for the chains and tie-down assemblies beneaththe deck of the trailer.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a flat bed vehicle, particularly adapted for transporting heavylading,

a vehicle frame having a floor,

a pair of parallel spaced longitudinally extending beams extending forsubstantially the length of said vehicle frame,

cross members spacing said beams apart and unitized thereto to form thecenter sill of the vehicle,

wheels and axles supporting said beams above ground level,

side rails extending parallel to said beams along opposite sides of thevehicle frame,

anchor channels opening at floor level, unitized with said side railsand extending along the insides of said side rails and forming a part ofthe supporting structure of the vehicle frame,

other cross members spacing said side rails and anchor channels fromsaid beams and unitized to said side rails and anchor channels,

said beams having portions flush with the vehicle floor and forming atleast one unitized anchor channel opening at floor level and forming apart of the support structure of the vehicle frame,

releasable container locks at opposite ends of the vehicle deck inalignment with the anchor channels unitized to the side rails, forlocking the comers of containers to the vehicle deck, and

container couplers carried in said anchor channels unitized to the siderails between said container locks and having latching members adaptedto have latching engagement with downwardly opening sockets in thecontainers, support legs movably mounted on said couplers for movementinto position to engage the bottoms of the anchor channels and supportthe container couplers and latching members above the deck of thevehicle into position to extend within the container sockets and couplethe containers to the vehicle floor, and having end portions extendingupwardly within the container sockets and locked in position by thecontainer sockets, said legs being held in their support positions inengagement with the bottoms of the channels by engagement of said endportions with the container sockets, and being retractable toaccommodate said legs and container couplers to be retracted within saidchannels only when the containers are removed from the couplers torelease said end portions and legs to move into their retractedpositions.

2. In a flat bed vehicle adapted to transport containers and incombination with a container having at least one downwardly openingretaining socket at a comer thereof and opening to the bottom thereofand having a strike surface at the end of the socket,

a vehicle frame including a flat deck,

side rails extending along opposite sides of said deck including anchorchannels opening at deck level and having a base having parallel sidewalls extending upwardly from said base and retainer flanges extendinginwardly of said sidewalls,

at least one container coupler in each anchor channel and having a basemovable along the base of an associated anchor channel and movablevertically into position to be supported to extend upwardly into lockingengagement with the retainer flanges of an associated channel andposition said container coupler to engage a retainer socket and lock acontainer to the deck, and movable downwardly within said channelbeneath the level of the deck, for adjustable movement along theassociated channel,

a latch on said coupler base for engaging said strike surface when saidbase is in locking engagement with said channel,

support means releasably supporting said coupler base and containercoupler in locking engagement with said channel,

said support means being engaged by said container socket and locked bysaid container socket in position to support said coupler in an elevatedposition, as a container is lowered thereon.

3. The flat bed vehicle of claim 2,

wherein the base has at least one guide and spacer wall extendingupwardly of said base along an end of a container, and

wherein the latch is biased to extend from an end of said guide andspacer wall to have latching engagement with said strike surface, as acontainer is lowered onto said coupler.

4. The flat bed vehicle of claim 3,

wherein the container coupler has an upstanding guide and retainerspaced along said base from said guide and spacer wall,

wherein the downwardly opening retaining socket is registrable with saidupstanding guide and retainer upon lowering movement of the container,and guides the container in position to be coupled to the vehicle deckby said latch, and

wherein spring means bias said latch into engagement with said strikesurface.

5. The flat bed vehicle of claim 4,

wherein the base has at least one retractable leg transversely pivotedthereto and forming the support means therefor,

wherein said upstanding guide and retainer has a recessed portiontherein extending upwardly therealong and opening to the outer endthereof,

wherein said retractable leg has a portion extending from the pivotthereof within said recessed portion upon the positioning of said leg tosupport the coupler to extend above deck level, and

wherein the container socket as engaging said upstanding guide andretainer extends along said upwardly extending portion of said leg andlocks said leg in position to hold the coupler above the level of saiddeck to couple a container thereto, as long as said guide abutment isengageable with said socket.

6. In a flat bed vehicle adapted to support and transport containers ofvarious lengths and in combination with a pair of containers havingdownwardly opening retaining sockets at each corner thereof and openingto the bottom thereof and having a latching and strike surface at theend of each socket, opening to the end of the socket,

a vehicle frame including a flat deck,

side rails extending along opposite sides of said deck including anchorchannels opening at deck level,

said anchor channels each including a base, side walls extendingupwardly from said base and retainer flanges extending inwardly fromsaid side walls and having locking notches spaced therealong,

at least one container coupler in each anchor channel and including abase having locking lugs spaced therealong, said base being movablevertically into position to move said lugs into locking engagement withthe locking notches of an associated channel, each coupler havingretractable support legs movably mounted thereon to support said base inlocking engagement with said retainer flanges of an associated channeland lock the adjacent ends of a pair of containers to the deck, saidlegs being releasable upon removal of a coupler therefrom to movedownwardly within said channel beneath the level of the deck, foradjustable movement along the associated channel, said containercouplers each having laterally aligned spacer walls extending upwardlyof said base longitudinally of the vehicle for engagement withdownwardly opening retainer sockets in a container,

and a pair of oppositely facing latches movably mounted between saidspacer walls and biased to extend from opposite ends of said spacerwalls to come into locking engagement with the latching and strikesurfaces at the ends of adjacent ends of a pair of containers to lockthe containers to said couplers as lowered thereonto.

7. The flat bed vehicle of claim 6, wherein spring means, seated on saidlatches, bias said latches outwardly relative to said guide and spacerwalls to accommodate downward movement of the containers as lowered ontothe deck of the vehicle to cam said latches into retracted positions tocome into locking engagement with said strike surfaces of said socketmembers as the container is lowered to rest on the deck of the vehicle.

8. The flat bed vehicle of claim 7,

wherein the container couplers have guide and retainers spaced fromopposite ends of said spacer walls, and

wherein the container sockets have downwardly opening portionsregistrable with said guide and retainers upon lowering movement of thecontainer, and guiding the container in position to be coupled to thevehicle deck by said latches.

9. The flat bed vehicle of claim 8,

wherein the retractable legs are transversely pivoted to said couplerbase adjacent the opposite ends of each coupler,

wherein said retractable legs have portions extending from the pivotsthereof upwardly along said guides and retainers upon the positioning ofsaid legs to support the coupler to extend above deck level, and

wherein the container sockets as engaging said guide abutments extendalong said upwardly extending portions of said legs and lock said legsin position to hold the couplers above the level of said deck to coupleadjacent ends of two containers as long as said guide and retainers areengageable with said sockets.

10. The flat bed vehicle of claim 9, including container locks atopposite ends of said anchor channels adapted to engage within thecontainer sockets at the ends of the containers adjacent the ends of thevehicle, and operable to lock the containers to the flat deck of thevehicle upon lowering movement of the containers to register thedownwardly opening container sockets with said container locks.

11. in a fiat bed vehicle having anchor channels extending therealonghaving retainer flanges extending 5 inwardly of the side walls thereof,

an automatic latching coupler carried in each anchor channel adapted tocouple two corners of at least one container to the flat deck of avehicle and in combination with a container having a downwardly openingsocket at each corner thereof, each having a latching and strike surfaceopening to said socket from an end of said socket,

each coupler including a base supported in said anchor channel foradjustable movement therealong and for vertical movement into engagementwith said retainer flanges,

means movably mounted on said base for supporting said base intoengagement with said retainer flanges,

at least one guide and spacer wall projecting upwardly of said base, andadapted to extend vertically along the end of a container,

an upstanding guide and retainer spaced inwardly along said base fromsaid spacer wall and in horizontal alignment therewith, and adapted toextend within said downwardly opening socket upon placing the containeron the deck of a vehicle,

a latch retractable with respect to said guide and spacer wall, I

a pivot for said latch pivoting said latch to said base in outwardlyspaced relation with respect to the container about an axis spacedbeneath said guide and spacer wall,

said latch having a downwardly facing latching surface spaced above saidbase and conforming to said strike surface,

and an opposite surface cammed by the container to retract said latchinwardly of said guide and spacer wall upon lowering movement of thecontainer along said upstanding guide and retainer,

a spring seated within the limits of said guide and spacer wall andbiasing said latch to extend outwardly of said guide and spacer walltowards said upstanding guide and retainer,

a container as lowered onto said coupler to register said downwardlyopening socket with said upstanding guide and retainer, first engagingthe top surface of said latch and retracting said latch within saidguide and spacer wall, said latch then coming into latching engagementwith said strike surface, to lock the container to the deck of thevehicle,

the axis of the pivot for said latch and the point of engagement of saidspring with said latch being spaced outwardly of said strike surface,and the relationship between the line of engagement of said strikesurface with said latch, the pivot for said latch, and the point ofengagement of said spring with said latch being such that upward liftingmovement of the container will retract said latch with respect to saidguide and spacer wall, and accommodate lifting of the container from thedeck of the vehicle.

1. In a flat bed vehicle, particularly adapted for transporting heavylading, a vehicle frame having a floor, a pair of parallel spacedlongitudinally extending beams extending for substantially the length ofsaid vehicle frame, cross members spacing said beams apart and unitizedthereto to form the center sill of the vehicle, wheels and axlessupporting said beams above ground level, side rails extending parallelto said beams along opposite sides of the vehicle frame, anchor channelsopening at floor level, unitized with said side rails and extendingalong the insides of said side rails and forming a part of thesupporting structure of the vehicle frame, other cross members spacingsaid side rails and anchor channels from said beams and unitized to saidside rails and anchor channels, said beams having portions flush withthe vehicle floor and forming at least one unitized anchor channelopening at floor level and forming a part of the support structure ofthe vehicle frame, releasable container locks at opposite ends of thevehicle deck in alignment with the anchor channels unitized to the siderails, for locking the corners of containers to the vehicle deck, andcontainer couplers carried in said anchor channels unitized to the siderails between said container locks and having latching members adaptedto have latching engagement with downwardly opening sockets in thecontainers, support legs movably mounted on said couplers for movementinto position to engage the bottoms of the anchor channels and supportthe container couplers and latching members above the deck of thevehicle into position to extend within the container sockets and couplethe containers to the vehicle floor, and having end portions extendingupwardly within the container sockets and locked in position by thecontainer sockets, said legs being held in their support positions inengagement with the bottoms of the channels by engagement of said endportions wiTh the container sockets, and being retractable toaccommodate said legs and container couplers to be retracted within saidchannels only when the containers are removed from the couplers torelease said end portions and legs to move into their retractedpositions.
 2. In a flat bed vehicle adapted to transport containers andin combination with a container having at least one downwardly openingretaining socket at a corner thereof and opening to the bottom thereofand having a strike surface at the end of the socket, a vehicle frameincluding a flat deck, side rails extending along opposite sides of saiddeck including anchor channels opening at deck level and having a basehaving parallel side walls extending upwardly from said base andretainer flanges extending inwardly of said sidewalls, at least onecontainer coupler in each anchor channel and having a base movable alongthe base of an associated anchor channel and movable vertically intoposition to be supported to extend upwardly into locking engagement withthe retainer flanges of an associated channel and position saidcontainer coupler to engage a retainer socket and lock a container tothe deck, and movable downwardly within said channel beneath the levelof the deck, for adjustable movement along the associated channel, alatch on said coupler base for engaging said strike surface when saidbase is in locking engagement with said channel, support meansreleasably supporting said coupler base and container coupler in lockingengagement with said channel, said support means being engaged by saidcontainer socket and locked by said container socket in position tosupport said coupler in an elevated position, as a container is loweredthereon.
 3. The flat bed vehicle of claim 2, wherein the base has atleast one guide and spacer wall extending upwardly of said base along anend of a container, and wherein the latch is biased to extend from anend of said guide and spacer wall to have latching engagement with saidstrike surface, as a container is lowered onto said coupler.
 4. The flatbed vehicle of claim 3, wherein the container coupler has an upstandingguide and retainer spaced along said base from said guide and spacerwall, wherein the downwardly opening retaining socket is registrablewith said upstanding guide and retainer upon lowering movement of thecontainer, and guides the container in position to be coupled to thevehicle deck by said latch, and wherein spring means bias said latchinto engagement with said strike surface.
 5. The flat bed vehicle ofclaim 4, wherein the base has at least one retractable leg transverselypivoted thereto and forming the support means therefor, wherein saidupstanding guide and retainer has a recessed portion therein extendingupwardly therealong and opening to the outer end thereof, wherein saidretractable leg has a portion extending from the pivot thereof withinsaid recessed portion upon the positioning of said leg to support thecoupler to extend above deck level, and wherein the container socket asengaging said upstanding guide and retainer extends along said upwardlyextending portion of said leg and locks said leg in position to hold thecoupler above the level of said deck to couple a container thereto, aslong as said guide abutment is engageable with said socket.
 6. In a flatbed vehicle adapted to support and transport containers of variouslengths and in combination with a pair of containers having downwardlyopening retaining sockets at each corner thereof and opening to thebottom thereof and having a latching and strike surface at the end ofeach socket, opening to the end of the socket, a vehicle frame includinga flat deck, side rails extending along opposite sides of said deckincluding anchor channels opening at deck level, said anchor channelseach including a base, side walls extending upwardly from said base andretainer flanges extending inwardly from said side walls and havinglocking notches spaced therealong, at least one container coupler ineach anchor channel and including a base having locking lugs spacedtherealong, said base being movable vertically into position to movesaid lugs into locking engagement with the locking notches of anassociated channel, each coupler having retractable support legs movablymounted thereon to support said base in locking engagement with saidretainer flanges of an associated channel and lock the adjacent ends ofa pair of containers to the deck, said legs being releasable uponremoval of a coupler therefrom to move downwardly within said channelbeneath the level of the deck, for adjustable movement along theassociated channel, said container couplers each having laterallyaligned spacer walls extending upwardly of said base longitudinally ofthe vehicle for engagement with downwardly opening retainer sockets in acontainer, and a pair of oppositely facing latches movably mountedbetween said spacer walls and biased to extend from opposite ends ofsaid spacer walls to come into locking engagement with the latching andstrike surfaces at the ends of adjacent ends of a pair of containers tolock the containers to said couplers as lowered thereonto.
 7. The flatbed vehicle of claim 6, wherein spring means, seated on said latches,bias said latches outwardly relative to said guide and spacer walls toaccommodate downward movement of the containers as lowered onto the deckof the vehicle to cam said latches into retracted positions to come intolocking engagement with said strike surfaces of said socket members asthe container is lowered to rest on the deck of the vehicle.
 8. The flatbed vehicle of claim 7, wherein the container couplers have guide andretainers spaced from opposite ends of said spacer walls, and whereinthe container sockets have downwardly opening portions registrable withsaid guide and retainers upon lowering movement of the container, andguiding the container in position to be coupled to the vehicle deck bysaid latches.
 9. The flat bed vehicle of claim 8, wherein theretractable legs are transversely pivoted to said coupler base adjacentthe opposite ends of each coupler, wherein said retractable legs haveportions extending from the pivots thereof upwardly along said guidesand retainers upon the positioning of said legs to support the couplerto extend above deck level, and wherein the container sockets asengaging said guide abutments extend along said upwardly extendingportions of said legs and lock said legs in position to hold thecouplers above the level of said deck to couple adjacent ends of twocontainers as long as said guide and retainers are engageable with saidsockets.
 10. The flat bed vehicle of claim 9, including container locksat opposite ends of said anchor channels adapted to engage within thecontainer sockets at the ends of the containers adjacent the ends of thevehicle, and operable to lock the containers to the flat deck of thevehicle upon lowering movement of the containers to register thedownwardly opening container sockets with said container locks.
 11. In aflat bed vehicle having anchor channels extending therealong havingretainer flanges extending inwardly of the side walls thereof, anautomatic latching coupler carried in each anchor channel adapted tocouple two corners of at least one container to the flat deck of avehicle and in combination with a container having a downwardly openingsocket at each corner thereof, each having a latching and strike surfaceopening to said socket from an end of said socket, each couplerincluding a base supported in said anchor channel for adjustablemovement therealong and for vertical movement into engagement with saidretainer flanges, means movably mounted on said base for supporting saidbase into engagement with said retainer flanges, at least one guide andspacer wall projecting upwardly of said base, and aDapted to extendvertically along the end of a container, an upstanding guide andretainer spaced inwardly along said base from said spacer wall and inhorizontal alignment therewith, and adapted to extend within saiddownwardly opening socket upon placing the container on the deck of avehicle, a latch retractable with respect to said guide and spacer wall,a pivot for said latch pivoting said latch to said base in outwardlyspaced relation with respect to the container about an axis spacedbeneath said guide and spacer wall, said latch having a downwardlyfacing latching surface spaced above said base and conforming to saidstrike surface, and an opposite surface cammed by the container toretract said latch inwardly of said guide and spacer wall upon loweringmovement of the container along said upstanding guide and retainer, aspring seated within the limits of said guide and spacer wall andbiasing said latch to extend outwardly of said guide and spacer walltowards said upstanding guide and retainer, a container as lowered ontosaid coupler to register said downwardly opening socket with saidupstanding guide and retainer, first engaging the top surface of saidlatch and retracting said latch within said guide and spacer wall, saidlatch then coming into latching engagement with said strike surface, tolock the container to the deck of the vehicle, the axis of the pivot forsaid latch and the point of engagement of said spring with said latchbeing spaced outwardly of said strike surface, and the relationshipbetween the line of engagement of said strike surface with said latch,the pivot for said latch, and the point of engagement of said springwith said latch being such that upward lifting movement of the containerwill retract said latch with respect to said guide and spacer wall, andaccommodate lifting of the container from the deck of the vehicle.